Man murdered 'in revenge killing'

A man shot in a barber's shop was killed as revenge for a shooting six years before, the Old Bailey has heard.

Wayne Freckleton, 25, died after being shot in the head and shoulder from a gunman brandishing a revolver.

His killers burst in to the hairdressers' in Acton Lane, Harlesden Lane, north London, after gang members spotted him waiting to get a haircut.

Four men charged with murder deny the charges. A fifth man denies two counts of assisting an offender.

Car followed

Mr Freckleton was alleged to have been a drug dealer who, the court heard, was one of two men rumoured responsible for the deaths of Mohamed Korneh and Selorn Gbesemete, both 21, six years earlier.

The two men had been shot while watching rapper Dizzee Rascal at an anti-gun crime concert at Southall's Tudor Rose nightclub in December 2002.

One of the three men charged with murder, Richard Osborne, 27, of Harlesden, is said to have followed Mr Freckleton's car and threatened him.

He and Femi Forde, 24, of Harlesden, are said to have covered their faces and carried out the shooting in April last year.

They are then alleged to have called Marcus Siyum, 19, also of Harlesden. The murder took place after the killers were allegedly called in by gang member Antoine Richards, 18, from Hayes.

After the shooting, Jamal Smith, 27, of Brooklands, Colchester, Essex, is alleged to have driven them to Birmingham.

Mr Osborne, Mr Forde, Mr Siyum and Mr Richards all deny murder. Mr Smith denies assisting offenders.

John McGuinness, QC, prosecuting, said: "Mr Freckleton's death arose out of gang rivalry in this part of London.

"He was murdered as a payback for the widely held belief that he had killed Korneh and Gbesemete."

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.